Nepal Earthquake: One Man Finds the Peace of Christ Amidst the Rubble

Amal*, a brick mason in Nepal, receives many requests from his neighbors, who need him to repair the houses that fell during the earthquake. But his own house also collapsed that day, and now he worries about how he will be able to rebuild his own house and also take on additional work. He built his house himself 20 years ago and lived there with his wife and two sons. While the family was all safe during the disaster, most of their possessions were lost under a pile of rubble, including the food they had stored.

Amal has been part of a Nazarene house church in his city for three years and has his granddaughter to thank for it. Before that, life was difficult — he suffered from jaundice and work was not going well. And yet every time he met Christians, he sensed something was different about them. They had peace.

Overwhelmed by the difficulties of everyday life, he was struck by the Christians his granddaughter brought to his house one day three years ago. They came to sing and pray over his wife, who was sick at the time. Drawn to them, he asked if he could attend their church the following Saturday.

Now he goes to church regularly to worship. He says that before he became a Christian, he felt the full weight of his daily difficulties. And while those difficulties are still present, he feels true peace since coming to faith in Jesus. Finally, he is able to live in the peace that he had seen in the others.

Others in his community often criticize Amal for his faith, but he says day by day he is growing in his belief. He doesn’t let what others say stop him from going to church and worshiping God. In fact, he says he doesn’t mind it much at all because now he has real peace.

The coming months — probably years — will be difficult for Amal and his family as they work to rebuild their lives and their home, brick by brick. But he knows that even in these tragic days, God will give him a peace that passes understanding.

*Names changed for protection and privacy

To learn more about or to support the church’s response in Nepal: ncm.org/nepal